Stepping Off the Field to Heal: Enrichment, Sabbatical, and Burnout Leave Explained

As practitioners, we understand that there are times when our clients have been significantly impacted physically, mentally or emotionally, and need to pause and rest. Similar to an injured footballer, the fans should support his decision to step away and focus on healing and health.  This will allow him to return to the field stronger and sooner than if he continued to play through his injury, making it worse. Sometimes our clients, especially those in caregiving professions, are hesitant to make time for rest, but rest is essential in any journey. Once our client has acknowledged that they are depleted and permit themselves rest, we can help them consider which type of leave would be most effective.

I have categorised three types of leave: Enrichment leave, Sabbatical leave, and Burnout leave. 

Enrichment Leave

Enrichment leave is generative. It’s about renewal through learning, reflection, or creative

exploration. Staff take this kind of leave to step back from routine work, gain new insights, or

re-engage their sense of purpose. Activities may include studying, volunteering, travelling, writing or attending a retreat. The key aim is to return with fresh energy, perspective and growth which enriches both the individual and the organisation.

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave is also generative but typically longer and more structured. It allows for deep reflection, focused study, or significant personal and professional renewal. A sabbatical recognises sustained service and gives space for long-term thinking, creativity and rest. Many find that time away from daily demands allows new ideas and strategies to emerge, benefiting both the individual and their community upon return.

Burnout Leave

Burnout leave is restorative. It’s needed when someone is physically, mentally, or emotionally depleted. The purpose is not learning or growth, but healing. This type of leave acknowledges that the individual has reached their limits and requires time to recover before re-engaging with work. Support during burnout leave may include rest, medical assistance, counselling, and in severe cases, a gradual return-to-work plan.

The kind of leave needed for each client will depend on the depletion a client is facing. Are they seeking to be reinvigorated and inspired? Enrichment leave may be the right fit. Do they want to make a larger change, learn and experience something new to support their goals? A sabbatical could do wonders. Does the phrase “new experience” or the idea of packing bags for a trip make your client want to moan with exhaustion? They might be too depleted. In this case, they need burnout leave. 

A Healing Focus

Burnout leave addresses the most severe form of depletion, where the focus must be entirely on healing and regaining buoyancy. It can be difficult for a person to admit they are fully depleted and need to step away from everything for a significant period, but it is a type of illness that requires proper treatment. It will also benefit a client to continue with mentoring, perhaps even increasing the number of sessions. As mentors, we can gently guide our clients on the path towards help, as well as uncover the underlying issues and situations that lead them to become so depleted in the first place. 

With all types of leave, it can be challenging to return to routine, make up for missed work, to catch up on the events that happened while away, and to transition from a more restful and slow-paced lifestyle to a calendar full of meetings, activities and social engagements. A client will return to the same relationships and issues they left behind. The hope is that now they feel refreshed and reinvigorated and ready to take on challenges, new and old. If a client is still feeling depleted, it is time to look deeper into their lifestyle. 

Remember that being clear and upfront about your own struggles also helps others facing difficulty with burnout. Hiding your pain reinforces the huge negative stigma attached to emotional problems. Bringing burnout into the light through candid conversation gives others the permission and courage to do something about it, helping to stop the propensity to withdraw in shame. 

Reflection Questions:

• What led to my client’s depletion? 
• Which type of leave will best suit them? 
• How can I help them reintegrate into everyday life when they return from leave?